seeking advice on contacting property owner - Posted by R. Casper

Posted by Soapymac on November 17, 1998 at 19:57:31:

non-profits are sometimes given or bequeathed property that they do not know is coming. Sometimes they do not know what to do with it or how to convert the “gift” so that it would give them what they want most.

Write your contact person and ask them what their intentions are with that property. If they are in anticipation of receiving adjoining property, they may be just biding their time.

Maybe they have property in another part of town, and cannot hook the two parcels up to do something. If that is the case, find out if there is a piece you can buy, then do a land swap for the piece you want.

If all they need is fair market value to further their organization (many non profits are sometimes “thing” rich and cash poor) suggest they sell the property to you and do some seller financing. It could be a situation where they are in a good cash position, but would like a steady, continuous cash flow.

In short, write and find out what their interests are with respect to the property…then do your absolute best to help them get it.

My .02

Cordially,

Soapymac

seeking advice on contacting property owner - Posted by R. Casper

Posted by R. Casper on November 17, 1998 at 18:54:06:

I am looking for advice about an intriguing log cabin in a rural area close to where I grew up. The cabin has been there for decades, and I have always been curious about it. The windows have been boarded up as long as I can remember and the lawn is overgrown. It is small, but since I live alone it would be the perfect size for me. I would not mind owning it even if I had to work on fixing up the interior.

I went to the town office and asked about it. Turns out it?s owned by a non-profit organization (so they don?t pay property taxes). The last time it was assessed the building was valued at $2,200 and the building & land together were $27,000. It is zoned as a single family residence.

One person at the town office said it was in a fire years ago and is just an empty shell. Another person there said it was not burned - it?s still used occasionally and the windows are boarded up to prevent vandalism.

I have the address of a contact person in the organization that owns it, and I want to write a letter asking if they might want to sell it to me. How should I word the letter, considering the fact that I don?t know if they want to sell it? Please advise.

Just ask - Posted by Bill Mooney

Posted by Bill Mooney on November 17, 1998 at 22:52:16:

Write a nice note from th heart. Tell them you have seen the property for years and would like to fix up the nice property. Ask them if the would be interested in renting, lease-optioning or selling the property in the near future. If they are you’re the person!

Follow up with a phone call a week or so after they got the letter confirming the receipt of the letter.

Good luck.

Bill